Oven-Baked Zucchini Chips

Note from Kare: Gina from Running To the Kitchen is back, this time with an incredible (and incredibly healthy) recipe for oven-baked zucchini chips seasoned simply with salt and pepper. These zucchini chips are my new summertime obsession!

—

I distinctly remember when salt and vinegar chips became a thing. Pretty sure I was in middle school and when they started popping up in all my friends’ lunch bags, the pleading with my healthy bagged lunchmom began.

I don’t know why, but she never caved to those pleas for the salt and vinegar variety. Something about the vinegar freaked her out I guess (meanwhile I was the kid that would drink vinegar out of the bottom of the salad bowl – give me all the pickled, vinegary things!) but her compromise was salt and pepper baked potato chips. They were ok but just different enough to make me the weird kid in the cafeteria.

Of course, fast forward 20 or so years and I appreciate the effort from my mom a tiny bit more than my 12 year old self did. With summer here and zucchini popping up everywhere, these oven-baked zucchini chips seemed like the perfect way to get my chip craving on.

Often times when you see vegetable chips, you think dehydrator and mandolin, two gadgets I don’t have. Guess what? You don’t need those fancy things. A sharp knife and steady hand along with some patience is really all it takes for crispy oven-baked zucchini chips. And yes, you CAN get them crispy without frying! (But if you do have a mandolin, go ahead and use it! It admittedly does make life easier.)

It’s all about going low-and-slow in the oven. I know it’s tempting to jack the temperature up and get these done in a quarter of the time but the result will just be burnt edges and soggy centers. Don’t indulge the temptation! Remember that other thing mom would always say? Patience is a virtue, my friend. Two hours won’t kill you and I promise the wait will be worth it when you’re munching on these crispy, perfectly baked zucchini chips.

Once you get the method down, try them out with whatever seasonings sound good (like vinegar)!

Here’s a video that shows how easy it is to make oven-baked zucchini chips, or keep on scrolling for the easy recipe!

Directions:

Place sliced zucchini on paper towels and let sit for 10 minutes. Blot the tops of the zucchini with another paper towel to absorb as much moisture as possible.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the zucchini on the pans in a single layer, making sure not to overlap.

Pour olive oil into a small bowl and lightly brush onto the zucchini.

Season with the salt and pepper.

Place in oven and bake for about 2 hours, flipping zucchini after about an hour, until zucchini is crispy and starting to brown. Start checking them at about 1-1/2 hours in as ovens can vary. Any pieces that are crispy and starting to brown should be removed.